Progress in recent computer technology has led to the widespread popularization of image processing techniques for TV games, simulation devices, and the like. The sophistication of image processing techniques which more realistically portray display contents and display screens is extremely important in enhancing commercial value.
The components of TV games, for example, comprise peripherals, including a display monitor and operating instruments such as pads and joysticks, as well as processors with a CPU that executes image processing, audio processing, data transmission with the peripherals, and so forth, allowing interactive games to be played with such operating instruments.
Game devices allowing soccer games to be played are one of the fields of such TV game machines. In such soccer games, a soccer stadium with a field and spectator seats (stands) is commonly constructed in three-dimensional virtual space, and the characters (referred to as display objects or objects) of two teams play a virtual soccer game on the field. Specifically, motion is computed according to operating data from players, the ball is processed, collisions (hits) are processed, robots are processed, the field is processed, and the like, in sequence, and game development reflecting the manipulation by players is displayed on screen.
Because the behavior of the spectators in the stands is also an important element contributing to the game environment at this time, the behavior of the spectators is also often processed. Examples of methods for controlling the behavior of spectators include: 1) methods in which a great deal of image data of moving spectators is prepared in advance for each frame, in the same manner as with animation (moving images), and images are mapped with texture according to the competitive scenario and are displayed in moving images; and 2) methods in which polygons showing spectators are prepared, and the polygons are moved according to the competitive scenario.
The problem of whether or not the display screen coloration matches the actual brightness (such as sunlight) over time throughout the day is another important element in enhancing the game environment or immediacy. This is a particularly important feature of soccer games since they are often played out-of-doors, and there are subtle changes in the physical environment related to brightness depending on the time zones during the day in which the soccer game is played. In other words, the brightness changes depending on which time zone—morning, afternoon, or evening—in which the game is being played and where in those times zones the game is being played. A method for adjusting the luminance of the color screen according to time zone has been known in the past.
However, the aforementioned game machine suffers from the following drawbacks in terms of game immediacy and realism.
First, using soccer games as an example, when characters play against each other while dribbling the ball in conventional game machines, the characters can dribble only while facing in the direction in which they are running. However, when shooting or passing to a team mate while dribbling in actual soccer games, the athlete that is dribbling looks (looks around) in the same direction in which he is running or in other directions in order to plan the timing of kicks or to look for a kicking zone or team mates. That is, it is difficult to realistically simulate the actual behavior of soccer players just by controlling running motions while dribbling, and the actions of the characters on the display screen are primitive and unnatural. The control of the direction in which a character is facing (that is, the eye direction) is the same for the player who is running while dribbling as well as for other players who do not have the ball. Home team characters also naturally turn their faces (eye direction) depending on the actions of the characters of the opposing team, but no such control has been managed in the past.
Second, the behavior of spectators is also an important element affecting the immediacy of a game. In the past, however, the varying movements of individual spectators (more realistic behavior), simplicity of software design, reduction in computing load, decrease in memory capacity, and the like have not been satisfactorily achieved simultaneously.
In cases where spectators are displayed with animated texture mapping as in the past, the low number of frames showing movement results in crude and discontinuous spectator movement. The number of frames is increased in an effort to avoid this. As a result, the image data that is handled increases, requiring greater memory capacity. Software design also becomes more complicated, and the computing load increases. When the load increases too much, character (or object) control is hindered, resulting in the need to conserve spectator load. However, when spectator control is scaled back for such conservation, the screen that is displayed is not very exciting and lacks immediacy.
On the other hand, when spectators are displayed with polygons, the number of spectators which can be displayed with polygons is extremely limited when taking into account the burden involved in controlling them. If the computing load for such control is disregarded, it might be possible to display individual spectators with polygons and to individually control their movement, but that would actually be difficult for large numbers of spectators. Only specific (selected) main spectators should be displayed with polygons. In fact, spectators do have individually different movements, but they sometimes move the same in groups. The main movements of the specific spectators thus lack excitement and immediacy.
Third, conventional devices are not able to cope with the requirements of game machines nowadays in terms of controlling the physical environment relating to the actual brightness during the day. For example, the display screen should match the surrounding environment of players who enjoy the soccer game while sitting in front of the game machine in given time zones throughout the morning, afternoon, or evening. However, when the luminance of the entire screen is merely adjusted, as in conventional devices, the screen becomes darker as night approaches, making it all the more difficult to play.
Fourth, when games which unfold in virtual three-dimensional space are displayed on a screen, the ease of game playability varies depending on the direction of the camera eye direction by which the virtual camera relaying the game sees the characters (or objects). The ease of game playability also varies depending on the position of the virtual camera. The three-dimensional display of objects should be emphasized according to the game development area.
Fifth, when games in virtual three-dimensional space are displayed on a screen, the point of view and position of the virtual camera should be pulled back to display as much of the game field as possible on the screen to make it easier for players to play the game. When such processing is managed, the lines and markers indicating the range of the sports game court are narrow as compared the entire virtual space, and they thus disappear because of the screen resolution. Thicker lines have thus been prepared to prevent such disappearance. However, when the camera zooms up (the point of view approaches the main point of view) to enhance game excitement, especially thick lines are displayed, which are unnatural.
In view of the aforementioned problems, an object of the present invention is to provide an image processing device and method allowing games to be processed in a more realistic and immediate manner during image processing for soccer games and the like, so as to allow the more recent requirements of game devices to be adequately dealt with.
Another object of the present invention is to achieve more accurate simulation, so that the movements of the characters are more like the movements of actual competitors during image processing of games such as soccer games, resulting in a more realistic game.
Yet another object of the present invention is to more realistically represent the movements of spectators during image processing of games such as soccer games, resulting in far greater game immediacy.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a screen in which the color display is adjusted according to the state of the light source in the environment of the time zone in which players are actually playing a game during image processing of games such as soccer games, further enhancing game immediacy.
An object of the present invention is to provide novel means for suggesting game situations to players based on the actions of more accurately simulated characters, and novel means for adjusting the playability of the game.
An object of the present invention is to provide a more easily seen game screen ensuring the display of objects that are necessary to the players, in such a way that objects which have a specific function in three-dimensional virtual game space but which tend to disappear in the conversion to two-dimensional images still remain in the two-dimensional game screen even when they are smaller.
An object of the present invention is to provide an image processing device for controlling the eye direction and direction of the camera or the position of the virtual camera according to the relative positional relation between the virtual camera and characters or areas in the game field, and for forming a screen with a more favorable perspective for the player in such areas.